“There are very few men in the villages now because most have fled the area for fear of being conscripted as porters. So now the troops are taking women and forcing them to march to the front line with them, as a way to prevent guerrilla attacks from the SSA-North,” said the Mongshu resident.
Mmany villagers have fled to the town to avoid being taken as porters, and some complained that Burmese troops had taken their cattle for transport. Many of the male porters taken by the Burmese army are more than 50 years old, because younger people are able to run away, he added. In the recent statement, the Shan Human Rights Foundation stated that women in the conflict zone are also being targeted for sexual violence. Three women were recently gang-raped in separate incidents in area, the group said.
There has been continuous fighting since February between Burmese government forces and SSA-North Brigade 1 in Mongshu, Tangyan and Kyathi townships, causing many residents to flee the area.